Big thanks to Random House Children’s Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I’ve been a hardcore Cassie Clare fan for years, so I was really excited when she announced more stories set in the Shadowhunter universe. This collection of love stories was sweet, emotional, and had me sighing, smiling, and worrying for the characters at every turn.
My favorite stories were definitely the OG gang: Simon & Izzy, Clary & Jace since they hint at possible future plot points for the final trilogy (and I’ll happily take every breadcrumb Cassie gives us!). I also loved Alastair & Thomas, as well as Will & Tessa. Even though some of these characters are long gone by the current timeline, every new detail feels like uncovering a hidden piece of Shadowhunter history.

I absolutely loved this book! Each chapter felt like a gift, allowing me to revisit my beloved couples and see how their relationships have grown and changed over time. I appreciated having the chance to see each one of them after their happily ever afters! A perfect read for fans.

This story collection is an absolute gift for every fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles. The Love Stories of the Shadowhunters is a love letter from Cassandra Clare to her readers, and it's a joy to return to these beloved characters and couples. From Jace and Clary's new adventure to a hilarious urban romp with Simon and Izzy, each story is a perfect little slice of romance and action. It’s a wonderful way to revisit some of your favorite relationships and catch up with old friends. And the sneak peek at The Wicked Powers? A dream come true!

Better in Black was so much fun! I loved getting to see all my favorite Shadowhunter couples again and follow their different adventures. Each story was exciting, romantic, and full of the magic and danger that makes this series so addictive.
If you’re a fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, this collection is a must-read—it’s like catching up with old friends while getting a peek at new adventures.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of Better in Black by Cassandra Clare

3.5 stars
Really fun! This is a great collection to tide us over until Wicked Powers is out. The major downside of this work featuring 10 couples is not all of them will be for every reader, but each story was entertaining and added a bit of lore to the Shadowhunter world. It has Clare's signature humor and action, and by coming out in December I think it would make a great Christmas gift.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Better in Black is a short story collection featuring 10 stories centering around 10 different Shadowhunter couples. That's right; 10! The Shadowhunter Chronicles is a young adult fantasy series full of romantic ships, and I think for a while that's been the main draw for its readership. Thus, this collection will be fun for those looking for a little more slice-of-life stories centering the relationships after each respective series within the Chronicles has ended. I think it is important to clarify that this is still very much a young adult series, so this book is rather PG-13. The title of the book might lead fans to thinking this book is trying to bridge the series into the trendy and spicy Romantasy sub-genre, but it's not. My favorite short stories in the bunch were cute stories focused on one of my favorite ships (Simon/Izzy, Will/Tessa), provided an interesting historical perspective (Luke/Joselyn), or gave some foreshadowing of what's to come in the upcoming and last trilogy (Sebastian/Seelie Queen, Jace/Clary, Mark/Kieran/Christina*, Julian/Emma*). The other three were also cute and really just match the theme of "cute story of favorite couple", but they aren't my personal favorite ships. Overall, I think it's a worthy read for any longtime Shadowhunter fan, especially if you do plan to read the upcoming trilogy.

*These are also my favorite ships, but truly I think they should be highlighted as good bridge short stories first and foremost.

This was an absolutely incredible read. Thank you for the opportunity to read this early. Being back in the Shadowhunter world after so long was so incredible. We got to see stories from favorite couples throughout the Shadowhunters universe and not a single one of them disappointed. I loved getting these updates on how the characters are doing after the events in their stories, and how we got great romances but also dealt with some more intense feelings alongside it. I had a blast reading through these stories, I absolutely flew through them, and I can not wait for Wicked Powers to come out! Which were those teasers as to what is going to happen in the new series I saw?

I would rate this 3.5 stars if we had half stars. This was a fun, easy read featuring characters from all of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter books. Some stories were better than others, but they were all interesting. It was nice to read more about some of my favorite characters, without having to commit to another long series.

Cassandra Clare my favorite author and i’m obsessed with all of her books and characters. the writing, storytelling, tension, everything done by her is a masterpiece.It left me smiling and believing in the sweet comfort of love.

This is such a love letter to the fans! The love and heartbreak and romance in all these short stories is incredible and will tug at all your emotions.

The perfect book for any Shadowhunters fan. Each story adds behind-the-scenes details for some beloved ships.

I absolutely loved this book! So much so that I finished in one day. The author did an amazing job keeping the plot going without it getting boring which is something I really look for in books. The characters were unique and I became very invested in their journey. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

Cassandra Clare has done it again! I absolutely love her Shadowhunters series and, after reading this installment, am even more excited to see what is in store for the new generation of Shadowhunters. We get so much backstory on characters across different times, which not only expands the world that the author has created, but also allows the reader to make their own predictions for the next installments. I cannot say much else without spoiling the book for new and old readers, but I highly recommend it for a broader scope on the Shadowhunter world and some well-loved characters.